One of Britain's leading Marxist historians Eric Hobsbawm has died at the age of 95.

The radical socialist was born on the eve of the Russian Revolution, which was said to inspire his work.

Eric died on Monday morning after struggling to fight off a bout of pneumonia at the Royal Free Hospital in London.

Eric wrote thirty books in the Marxist vein, such as History Of The 20th Century and The Age Of Extremes.

His family said: "He will be greatly missed not only by his wife of 50 years, Marlene, and his three children, seven grandchildren and great grandchild, but also by his many thousands of readers and students around the world."